Suitcase



Dec. 30, 1941. s, MANDEI; 2,267,870

SUITCASE 7 Filed Dec. 2'7, 1938 I 16 12 15 Samuel fllzzredel:

I INVENTOR ATTO R N EYS Patented Dec. 30, 1941 1 UNlTED STATES PATENT"OFFICE SUITCASE,

Samuel Mandel, Brooklyn, N. Y. Application December 27, 1933, Serial No.247,895 2 claims: (01. 190-54) My invention relates to improvements insuitcases and the like.

An important object of my invention is to provide a suitcase which islight in weight, durable in use, and inexpensive to manufacture.

Another object of my invention is to provide a suitcase that requires nostitching or riveting in its construction.

Yet another object of my invention is to provide a suitcase that issimple in construction, but which is nevertheless strong and rigid inuse.

Other objects and advantages of my invention will be apparent during thecourse of the following description.

In the accompanying drawing forming a part of this specification, and inwhich like numerals are employed to designate like parts throughout thesame:

Figure 1 is a perspective view of a device embodying my invention,

Figure 2 is a transverse sectional view, taken on the line 22 of Figure1, and

Figure 3 is a fragmentary sectional view, taken on the line 33 of Figure1.

In the drawing, wherein for the purpose of illustration is shown apreferred embodiment of my invention the numeral 5 designates a bodyportion, and constitutes the front, back, and ends of the case, in theform of a continuous, peripheral band of desirable width, which isprovided at its rear 6 with an inner annular recess 1, and at its front8 with an outer annular recess 9. The body 5 is entirely covered with acovering ID of leather or the like.

The lid or cover ll of the case consists of another continuous band l2,substantially wedge shaped in section, and of the same rectangular shapein plan as the body portion 5. The outer edge of the band I2 is providedwith an annular lip or rim l3 which forms an inner annular recess I4.The band I2 is similarly covered with a covering l5 of leather or thelike.

The wedge shaped formation of the band 12 permits the same to fit snuglyinto the outer annular recess 9 of the body 5 and it is hingedlyattached thereto by means of the leather band I6 which covers and isadhesively secured to the bottom side of the body 5 and the band [2 fromend to end thereof, and the side edges thereof are folded inwardly overthe lip 32 of the said body 5 and the lip l3 of the said band [2.

The numeral l'l designates a bead or continuous band, of substantiallyrectangular formation in plan, and covered externally with a covering[8, of leather or the like. Fitting snugly into the space enclosed bythe said bead I'l is a flat, rectangular bottom board I9, which iscovered exteriorly with a covering 20 of leather or the like. The bottomwall 2| comprising the bead l1 and the bottom board I9 is placed in avertical position against the inside face of the inner annular recess,and adhesively secured to the outer covering IU of the body portion 5.The continuously depending 'fiap 22 of the material covering the bead I1is adhesively secured to the inner face of the bottom wall I9, and theopposite depending flap 23 of the said covering being adhesivelyattached to the inner face of the body 5.

The top wall is similarly constructed and fitted into the inner recessl4 of the continuous peripheral band l2. The top wall comprises the bead24 and covering 25, with the top board 26 and covering 21 securedtherein. In the cover ll,

however, I have provided an outside pocket 28' which comprises a looselyfitting, rectangular leather 35 having its periphery thereof adhesivelysecured between the inner periphery of the bead 24 and the outerperiphery of the top board 26. Adjacent the upper margin of the pocketthus formed, I have provided a longitudinally extending slot 29 andzipper closing means 30, to permit easy access therein.

The leather band 16 constituting the outer hinge is strengthened andsupported by an inner band 3|, one marginal edge of which is adhesivelysecured to the inner surface of the band l2 and the other marginal edgeof which is adhesively secured to the inner surface of the body 5. Asbest illustrated in Figure 2, the middle portion of the band 3| isbunched and unattached and normally disposed within the inner grooveformed at the meeting edges of the cover and body. The bunching of themiddle portion of the band will provide sufficient slack to permit thecover to be raised and, after the cover has been raised a substantialdistance, the band will be tautly stretched to limit the upward movementof the said cover.

A carrying handle 33 is secured to the front of the body 5, and suitablelocking means 34 are provided on either side thereof.

I prefer to use a light-weight, tough wood for the frame portions of mysuitcase, but it is to be understood that any suitable material may beused.

From the foregoing description it may be seen that I have invented asuitcase that is extremely simple in construction, involving a minimumof parts and eliminating the usual stitching and riveting, and'which is,nevertheless, strong and rigid in its formation.

It is to be understood that the form of my invention, herewith shown anddescribed, is to be taken as a preferred example of the same, and thatvarious changes in the shape, size and arrangement of parts may beresorted to, provided the changes come within the scope of the claims.

Having thus described my invention, Iclaim:

1. In a suitcase construction, a body portion constituting a continuousessentially inflexible band of desired shape with a lower, inner annularrecess, a reinforcing peripheral bead snugly fitting in the said innerannular recess of said body portion, an essentially inflexible bottomwall snugly fitting within said peripheral bead, and an outer coveringof flexible material for said peripheral bead, the upper edge of whichcover is adhesively attached to the inner face of said continuous bandand the loweredge of which is adhesively attached to the inner face ofsaid bottom wall.

2. A suitcase having, in combination, a continuous band one edge ofwhich is formed with an inner annular recess, one wall of the recessopening through the edge of the band and the other wall thereof openingthrough the irmer face of the same; a peripheral bead disposed withinthe recess and contacting the side and bottom walls of the recess;a-wall portion disposed within and encompassed by the bead, the marginaledges of the wall bottom being supported by the bottom wall of therecess; and a flexible strip enclosing the bead, both edges of the stripextending along the second wall of the recess, one edge being foldedover and adhesively secured to the inner face of the band and the otheredge thereof being folded in a direction awayfrom the first edge andadhesively secured to the inner face of the wall portion.

SAMUEL

